Combined heating and sprinkling system.



c. P. NUTTER & J. E; CHAT MAN.

COMBINED HEATING AND SPRINKLING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I5, 1914- Patented Dec. 31, 1918;

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UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

CHARLES P. NUTTER, OF MALDEN, AND JOHN E. CHATMAN, 0F SWAMPSCOTT,

MASSACHUSETTS.

COMBINED HEATING AND SPRINKLING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Application filed March 16, 1914. Serial No. 824,840.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES P. No'r'rnn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Malden, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, and JOHN E. GHATMAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Swampscott, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an improvement in combined heating and sprinkler systems in which there are provided air-chambers for insulating the sprinkler-heads from the heat of the circulating water and in the process or method of filling or installing such systems, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings,

is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

Our invention is adapted for use in connection with a combined heating vand sprinkler system such as is shown, for example, in our Patent No. 1,087,136, issued February 17, 1914, and is designed tov render more effective the heat insulation means shown in said patent. Said patent shows as a preferable means for insulating a sprinkler head from the heat of the water circulating through the system an air chamber formed in a nipple connecting the sprinkler head with the sprinkler pipe. Our present invention is designed to increase the length of the operative air column so provided without increasing the length of the nipple, and thus to render the heat insulation provided by the air chamber more complete and perfect;

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a building provided with a combined sprinkler and heating system showing the system diagrammatically. Fig. 2 is a detail of a sprinkler head connected to the sprinkler pipe and provided with one form of air chamber for insulating the sprinkler head from the heat of the water in the pipe. The air chamber and the connection between the sprinkler head and the sprinkler pipe may be, however, any one of many different forms, without affecting the applicability of this invention. Referrin to Fig. 1, a indicates the connection to 51c water supply main, b indicates the heater for heating the water in circulation, 0 indicates the supply riser, d, 01 represent the floors of the building, 6, 6 represent sprinkler pipes on which are mounted sprinkler heads I, f, g is the return riser completing the circulation loop, It is a supply pipe connecting the system with an expansion or pressure tank 7', in which the normal water level under operating conditions is represented by the line y-y, i, 2' represent air-cocks located at the highest points of the system, for venting the system of air, and j, j are air-cocks in the individual sprinkler pipes, preferably located'between the sprinkler heads on the pipes and the inlet ends of the pipes, 11. e., the ends from which the circulating water enters those pipes. These sprinkler pipes are preferably slightly inclined upwardly from the inlet ends in the manner usual to hot water heating systems. In the illustration the inclination is greatly exaggerated, for the sake of clearness. k is a check valve interposed in the connection between the system and the supply main in the manner usual to sprinkler systems. Z is a by-pass around the check valve, in which is placed the supply pump m. n, n, 0, 0, p, p and g, g are gate valves at various points in the system.

Referring to Fig. 2, s is a nipple connecting the sprinkler pipe 6 with the sprinkler head f and adapted to contain the insulating air chamber t.

If when the water from the supply main a is turned on so as to fill up the system, the vents z, the open so as to allow the air in the system to pass out freely, it is apparent that the pressure on the supply main will cause the water to fill the risers and sprinkler pipes throughout the building, leaving in the system only such air as has been trapped in the nipples s, and that the air trapped in the nipples will have been trapped at substantially atmospheric pressure in each instance. An increase in the pressure on the trapped air in the nipple will therefore compress it,

and decrease the length of the air column within the nipple and the effectiveness of the heat insulation. Such an increase of pressure on the trapped air will occur as the water rises in the system under the pressure of the water supply, and finally, when the system is filled and the vents. closed, the pressure on the air will be the full pressure of the water supply, which greatly exceeds the atmospheric pressure. As a result, the insulating air columns in the various nipples throughout thebuilding will be compressed and shortened, the degree of such compres sion and shortening depending in each case upon the position of the particular air chamber in the building, the pressure being greater in the basement and lower floors than in the upper floors. All of the nipples will be filled partially with air and partially with water. It is obvious that any "difiiculty arising from this situation can be avoided by making the nipples long enough ineach case so that the length of the air column as it finally stands when the pressure is on in the system will be sufficient for heat insulating purposes.

Our present, invention, however, is designed to obviate the difliculty in a different and superior manner. I

If when the water from the supply main is turned into the system the vents z', i and j, j be closed, so that no air can escape from the system, the result will be that the water will rise in the pipes, forcing the air up-.

ward and compressing it, until the pressure of the air in the system is suflicient tocounterbalance the pressure of the water supply. When the air pressure equals the water ressure, a condition of equilibrium Wil be established, with the water standing, for

example, at the levels indicated by the line XX, Fig. 1. If now a vent i be opened sufiiciently to allow the air to escape very gradually, the water will slowly rise throughout the system, and, as it rises, will trap the air in the various nipples s, 8, just as before, but with the difference that by this method the air will have been trapped in any given nipple under substantially the full pressure caused by the pressure in the water supply under normal operating conditions at the particular point where that nipple is located. The air column inthe nipplewill therefore not be compressed any further when the system is entirely filled with water and is in operation, but will continue to occupy the full length of the nipple.

Accordingly, in operating under our in vention we first openthe connection between the water supply and the system and allowv the water to enter the system under normal pressure, in the meantime keeping the vent closed and retaining all of the air in the system. When the condition of equilibrium has been established, and the inflow of water into the system has ceased, we open the vent slightly and allow. the air in the system to escape and the water to rise very slowly and gradually, closing the vent again when the water has risenand driven out all of the air in the system except that trappedin the air chambers. The same result can be accomplished by venting the air in thesystem through the vents j, j, instead of through the vents i, i. If the vents j, j are to be used, the vent in the lowermost sprin-i kler pipe will be opened first andlclosed when the Water rises to itslevel, and then opened, and so on.

. the: vent in the nexthigher pipe will be before the water has risen-t0 a level as high as that of the lowest sprinkler ipesingthe system. If, however, in any case the relative capacity of the boiler and of the piping in the system be such that if .the system be filled in the mann er describ ecl above, the

water will have risen above; mantel. o'fthev lowest sprinkler pipes-before the" condition;

of equilibrium is established, so that the air in the nipples connected as such sprinkler pipes will be trapped while ata pressure less than the full normal pressure of, the .system, additional air canbe, forced into the system by closing the valves n, a when the heater has been filled with-water, draining off the water from the heater and allowing "the heater to bGCOHlQ'fillBd with air, andlhen.

opening the valves n, a" again. lBy this means, enough air can beforced nto the.

system to make thewater level, when equi librium is established, as low as may be de sired. 7

If the pressure in the main supply is not sufficient to fill the tank. if to theflevel desired to be inalnta ned therein." under operating" conditions, so. that a supply pump is. re-;

quired in order to fillfit, the pump: maybe put into operation in thefillingof the, s'y's-i tem and its action so regulated'as' tof fill the 1 pressure tank to the normal level before} the air-vent is opened, and. to maintain it at this,

level while the air is. escaping through the Vent" I Our invention includes, as

process above described, thesyste m itself,.

embodying the insulatingfair chambers completely filled with air. underthe pressures normal to the system. 7 f

We have spoken of air as the insulating agent, but it is apparent that the principle could be applied with other gases, as for instance, nitrogen, if desired, and such .sub stitution could be madewithjoutinany man ner departing from our invention.

What .we claim as new, and desire to sei cure by Letters Patent, is: f f 7 1. The, method of filling air. chambers provided in acombined sprinkler" and h'eat-' ing. system. for insulating the sprinkler heads from the'heat of the circulating water, which consists in filling'said chamberswith air under substantially the pressures normal to said chambers. under" operating conditions and trapping i't'in; saidichamber's whileurt' der such pressureby'admitting water'jto the y em m l h 1 '3 2. The, method; of filling circulating sprinkler system provided with air chairbers for insulating the sprinkler heads from thehe'afiof thecirculatin'g water, which consists in admitting the water to the system and so regulating the escape of air from the system when the water is admitted into the system that the air in said chambers is trapped under substantially the pressures normal to said chambers under operating conditions.

3. The method of filling a combined sprinkler and heating system provided with air chambers adapted to insulate the sprinkler heads from the heat of the circulating water, which consists in forcing water into the system under the pressure normal under operatin conditions, and so regulating the escape 0' air from the system that the air in said chambers is trapped under substantially the pressures normal to said chambers under operating conditions.

4:. The method of filling a circulating sprinkler system provided with air chambers for insulating the sprinkler heads from the heat of the circulating water, which consists in opening the connection between the system and the water supply and so regulating the escape of air from the system that the pressure within the system during the escape of the air is at all times substantially the full pressure normally caused in the system by the pressure in the supply main, whereby the air in said chambers 1s trapped under substantially the pressures caused at said chambers by the pressure of the water in the supply main.

5. The. method of filling a circulating sprinkler system provided with air chambers adapted to insulate the sprinkler heads from the heat of the circulating water, which consists in opening the connection between the system and the water supply, retaining all the air in the system until a state of substantial equilibrium has been established, and then allowing the air gradually to escape from the system, whereby air is trapped in said chambers under substantially the pressures caused at said chambers by the pressure of the water in the supply main.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this 14cth day of March, 1914:.

CHARLES P. NUTTER. JOHN E. CHATMAN. Witnesses:

HEGTN M. HOLMES, DANIEL J. LYNE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ratents, Washington, D. G. 

